Carlisle's Love Has Never Been Stronger
by Amarilla Rose Snape
Summary: Melody was always a very silent girl. After she heard her sister's last screams that fateful night, she's been quieter than ever. Her friends will help her and one man will make a difference. Please read and review. *Gets down on hands and knees and begs*


Melody Brown frowned at her bus driver. She hated the woman and frequently wished her dead. Of course, Melody Brown frequently wished many people dead. Melody Brown did not like the world that she had been born into. In the thirteen year old girl's mind, there was only one person worth her love. That was her teacher, Mr. Aniston. She loved the man as a father, in place of her own. Melody Brown was abused by her father physically and verbally. Her social peers at school verbally trashed her. The young girl was not well liked. She didn't even like herself. She cut herself with her razorblades to try to release the pain she felt each night. This made her strong enough to endure another day in the hands of "dear old dad." Melody Brown had black hair, and black colorless eyes. Not only were they colorless, but the young girl's eyes were lifeless. Not because she wasn't alive, in fact she was very much alive. She just had no will to live. Her life was pointless, and ran in circles of abuse. Mr. Aniston was nice to her, and he was very loving. But one person's care was not enough to drown out all the abuse that the poor girl was pounded into the ground with everyday.

"Melody?" Mr. Aniston asked gently.

"Yes Mr. Aniston?" The girl replied carefully.

"Can you please see me after class? I wish to discuss that last assignment that I gave you." He said, knowing her answer.

"Okay Mr. Aniston."

The bell rang soon after that, and Mr. Aniston saw Melody, who up until the bell had been sitting ramrod straight, but staring out the window, a million miles away from the day's lesson, slouch in her seat. He waited until everyone filed out of the room, straightening his desk to look serious. Then Mr. Aniston strode over to where his favorite student sagged in her respective chair. Melody always behaved. She never did anything wrong and she was never disrespectful. He thought he knew why. All the signs were there. The small girl was _way to _small for her age, and she _never _ate lunch. She often came to school, giving pained looks with every movement, every time she sat down. Her eyes were lifeless. The girl's long hair was never combed out, it hid most of her face, and even when it was ninety degrees out, she wore long-sleeve shirts, and torn up pants. Her pants were definitely not torn from rough housing, that he knew. He didn't even have to know that she never played during recess to know that. But she didn't play. Her pants were also always stained red. Stains that suspiciously looked like blood to him. The stains were in her shirts too. The girl obviously took showers, but they couldn't be very comfortable ones. The tension in her body was always massive too. No matter what. There were knots in her entire body. And how did he know that? From the times while he was teaching, when he would stop behind her and start giving her gentle massages. He'd checked the rules before doing that, and he couldn't get in trouble for it, unless she lied and said he did something inappropriate. But the man also knew Melody wouldn't do that.

Mr. Aniston sat beside his student, staring hard at her. She met his gaze, and then dropped her head, letting her hair cascade into her face.

"Melody, look at me. I am going to help you."

"You can't. No one can. He won't allow it. I'm his and he doesn't let his possessions get away from him. Ever. You won't win. There is no proof."

"Yes there is. Your sister."

"My sister is dead. He killed her. She can't help me now."

"Call you sister."

"Will it make you happy?"

"Very."

"Fine then. Meagan!"

A mirror image of Melody walked out of the mini computer lab, adjoining the classroom.

"Meagan?" Melody hit her knees. Her twin sister was alive. Mr. Aniston grabbed her and pulled her back to her feet.

"Come on sweetheart, lets get you in a seat." He put Melody in his chair behind his desk.

"Hey Melody. What's happenin' sis?"

"Oh my god, your alive. But Father killed you."

"Oh how very observant of you. Yes. I am alive. I'm not the bloody ghost of Christmas past or something, you know. But no, father did not succeed in murdering me, Melody. I lived. I ran and I ran. I was weakened from Father's attempted murder, but I had managed to bring with me, our _lovely_ Father's murder weapon. I somehow arrived at Mr. Aniston's lovely house. I hit the porch, and I dropped. Thank the gods for looking out for me, I fell into the door. Mr. Aniston happened to be awake, and in his drawing room. He came to answer the door, thinking someone had knocked. He opened the door and my head fell on his foot. I tried to be respectful of him, and get up. But I was too weak. He picked me up, and brought me inside the house to his magnificent living room. He made us some tea, and let me take a few gulps before requesting I tell him what had happened. I told him of father's constant abuse to us. About how he had tried to kill me. I showed him the weapon Father had used. He poured me some more tea, and asked what had happened to you. I told him that I knew not what had happened to my brave sister. That as far as I knew, you were still alive with Father."

"She was very upset that she hadn't managed to escape _with_ her sister. Understandably so. When I told her that if your father was like that then you would probably be dead before I could help you, she threw the biggest tantrum. _She threw a knife through my plasma screen television_. I've replaced that now though."

"Yeah, he wasn't very happy about that. He grounded me to the first empty bedroom he thought of for an hour. Which turned into 15 hours, because I fell asleep, and the man is about as strict on waking up at a certain hour as Father is about being a loving parent."

"Oh shush young lady. As it happened, I figured that she needed the sleep. I was right, not that she has admitted that to herself or me yet."

"Oh don't lie to her." Meagan laughed softly.

Melody waited for Mr. Aniston to hit her for that comment. She even made cutting motions with her hands.

"Melody, he isn't Father. He's not going to hit me for every comment I make. He won't hit you for talking. And for that matter, he isn't going to _hit_ us at all."

"What?" Mr. Aniston said, frowning.

"Melody thinks you're going to hit me for calling you a liar. She doesn't think that you know I'm kidding around with you. Father hits us when we talk. Now, since the school day is over, can we destroy Father's life yet?"

"Melody, you know that your sister is hugely vicious, right?"

"Yeah. That's what saved her from most of the beatings. Father usually didn't feel like enduring her mouth."

"I see. Well, Melody, you don't have to worry about that with me. Alright?"

"Okay. Now, I am going to agree with Meagan. Let's go destroy Father."

"Yeesh, you're just as vicious as her."

"No, I am just full of hatred and pain."

"That reminds me. Let me see your arm."

Melody gave him her covered arm. He slid the sleeve up. It was covered in old scars and new cuts. "What did you do?"

"She cuts herself. And yes, she will stop if removed from Father's house permanently."

"Good."

"It helps her release the pain that Father puts her through."

"I see."

"Can we please go destroy Father's life? Though I would rather rip him to shreds, very slowly."

"Umm, yeah. Grab your coat and stuff. Then Meagan will bring you out to the car. I'll be right there." With that, Mr. Aniston briskly left the room, tossing his keys to Meagan.

"Okay, do you need anything out of our locker? Did you even bring your coat to school?"

"No, I didn't bring my coat to school. And I don't need anything from my locker."

"Good. Sort of. Mr. Aniston will yell at you for not having your coat though."

"Father set fire to it last night. While I was in it."

"Hmmm…I actually expected that one a long time ago, you know. Anyway, let's go. And hurry, before Father catches us."

"Okay. What's Mr. Aniston gone to do though?"

They started briskly walking out of the school. Towards an orange truck.

"Get in the middle of the front seat. Run."

"Okay." Melody replied easily and ran to the truck. She jumped in, and sat in the middle. Meagan got in beside her in the passenger seat. Then she locked them inside the truck.

"So will he be long?"

"No. He never is."

"Okay."

The two twins sat and caught up.

*****

If Adam Aniston was known for one thing, and that was his thoroughness in situations such as these. He didn't want to keep the two girls waiting in the truck for long, so he hurried with what he was doing. He went to the office and grabbed their attendance records and medical records. He put them in his briefcase and then walked out to the truck.

Adam knocked on the window. The girls looked at him and unlocked the truck. It was already started, some music playing in the background. How did he know that Meagan would put Melody in the middle without his asking her? She'd _been_ doing that. Guessing what he wanted before he had a chance to say what it was that he wanted. She was extraordinarily good at doing that. Ah well. He drove swiftly out of the school parking lot.

"So, do you have anything you guys want to get from your house?"

"Yes." Melody answered for both of them.

"She speaks!" Adam joked.

"Of course I do. We want Hope and Faith."

"_Who_ or _what_ are Hope and Faith?"

"Our Squeaky bunnies. Hope is red, she's Meagan's. Faith is black, she's mine. We have never slept without them. Our mom gave them to us. She said hard times were ahead and we might need them. Father has never seen them, nor did he know of them."

"Okay. We'll make sure we get those. His trial is today in an hour. Though, I doubt that he told you."

"He didn't. He never told us anything."

Adam liked the past tense use.

They drove to the courthouse.

*****

"GUILTY! Court is adjourned. Trial in favor of Adam James Aniston. Permanent Guardianship of Melody Serena Brown and Meagan Selena Brown granted to Adam James Aniston. All affairs of John Richard Brown belong to Adam James Aniston. John Richard Brown will receive two lifetime sentences in a high security prison where he will go to counseling, for the following charges… attempted murder, murder of one Maryanne Amanda Brown and abuse of two minors. Said minors are to never be forced to visit said unfit parent."

Melody, for the first time while not in school in seven years, smiled. Evilly. She walked up to Mr. Brown, her "Father" and spat in his face. Then she walked back to Mr. Aniston, her dad, and hugged him hard.

"Judge?" Melody and Meagan asked together, boldly.

"Yes sweethearts?" The _maternal _judge asked kindly.

"Before he is taken away, may we say something?"

"Sure."

"_Father_, anyone can be a father……" Melody began.

"Like you." Meagan threw in.

"But it takes a good man to be a dad……" Melody continued.

"Like Mr. Aniston, here." Meagan chimed in.

"But you aren't good enough for either job!" The two girls finished together, each on one side of their _Father_. Then they spat on him, together. Did an about turn and walked to Mr. Aniston.

"Nicely said girls, " the judge said, not doing well at hiding a grin.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome young ladies. "

The small family then left the courtroom. The courthouse. Father. That life. And what did they enter? Mr. Aniston's truck. A new life. A new world. Happiness.

"Okay, we'll go to your old house, which we are selling by the way, and we will pack everything up. "

"Can we get mommy's coffin from the basement?" Melody asked quietly.

"Yes sweetheart."

"Thank you."

Melody leaned against him and he wrapped his arm around her. Soon they were there and Mr. Aniston climbed out of the truck. Neither of the girls wanted to leave the safety of the truck. He coaxed Melody down. Then Meagan.

Both girls pressed against him, going into the house. He practically had to shove them in. What he saw disgusted him, to put it bluntly. It was a junk hole. Eh. What could he do? Fix it up and sell it. Yeah, that worked.

"Okay, girls. Find whatever you wish to keep. I'll wait for you here."

To his sup…okay he wasn't surprised all that much when they went to a cupboard.

**********

"Hi Mr. Johnson. Why are you driving the bus?" Melody asked as she and Meagan sat down instantaneously in the front seat of the bus. Away from where anybody ever sat.

"Mrs. Kindle is driving the football team to their game downstate. Why are you riding the bus?"

"Dad had to do something with something in somewhere. We're riding the bus home and he'll be home little later."

"You weren't listening when he explained were you?"

"No. Do I ever?"

"Yes."

"Are you coming over tonight?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact why don't you two just stay on the bus and you can go there with me?"

"Our dad wouldn't know."

"So text him from my phone."

"Okay." Melody gracefully caught the cell phone he tossed her. She loved his phone. It was a shiny blue and it had a pretty purple background.

'Dad'

'Yeah?'

Uncle James is bringing us home when he comes over. By the way, Rose and Lily are coming over to get ready for the party with us.'

'Okay.'

'Luv u'

'U 2'

'bye.'

'bye.'

"I'm done!" Melody chirped. She handed James back his phone.

"Okay sweetie."

Melody loved Uncle James. Since the bus hadn't moved yet she had a brilliant idea. "Uncle James?"

"Yes. Go get them and bring them on the bus, but be quick."

"Thanks!"

Megan ran to get Rose while Melody went after Lily. Then everyone went after Bella, Alice, and Rosalie. They quickly got back on the bus.

"Good girls."

"Thanks."


End file.
